Stolen Service Dog Reunites With Owner
December 16, 2020
A service dog that had been inside a pickup truck when it was stolen on Friday afternoon was found safe inside the truck on Saturday.
Luisa Escudero’s blue Ford F-150 truck was stolen just after 3 p.m. Friday from the Chevron gas station at 3100 Davie Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. Odin, a 9-year-old, 110-pound bull mastiff service dog that helps children with cerebral palsy was in the truck.
The dog and the truck were found four miles away on Northwest 8th Court Fort Lauderdale. The windows were closed and the truck had been backed into a spot in a parking lot.
Escudero texted with the news of the recovery on Saturday: “Thank you to all! We found Odin. My student and family was helping us look for him, but because they did not see Odin, they began to change strategy and started looking for the truck They saw it parked and they checked inside and Odin was there.”
Escudero had just left work at United Community Options of South Florida, which helps children with cerebral palsy. She uses service dogs and horses to provide support to children whose physical mobility is limited.
Reached by phone Saturday morning, Escudero described Odin as “a very sweet dog.”
“We work with children with disabilities and in foster care and it would really work because he looks so intimidating and we tend to judge and have all these prejudices against people, just based on the way they look,” she said.
“Even though he looks intimidating or that he shouldn’t be approached, he’s really friendly and has helped a lot of people overcome those fears and feel comfortable with not pre-judging people based on how they look.”
Before the dog was found, Escudero said Saturday whoever stole the truck can keep it, she just wants Odin back. She got her wish plus the truck.
“I understand that person may have done this out of some sort of need; that he needed to steal a truck, and I forgive him. It’s okay,” she said through tears before the dog was found.
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